Promoting Policy Dialogue
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ICOMP's civil society mobilisation initiative plays a significant factor in its programme agenda since 1990s. It focuses on enhancing the role of civil society sector and strengthening NGO capacity.





Civil society has its legitimate role in both national RH policy formulation, and designing and implementation of RH programmes and pilot projects. There are many examples where civil society organisations (CSOs) have been instrumental in formulating RH policy in successful partnership with the public sector.

Interest in civil society has given ICOMP opportunities to further expand and strengthen its existing knowledge base with a new area of information and lessons. Beginning in 1997, ICOMP organised round tables and seminars, and implemented a six-country project on the role of civil society in providing quality RH programmes. Tangible contributions to the knowledge base are: an ICOMP publication on civil society best practices, an extensive literature review, 18 case studies, in-depth studies in three countries as well as capacity-building programmes for six countries through training modules, workshop and study tour.

Under the Asia-Pacific Alliance (APA), ICOMP is responsible for the management of its Small Grants Programme. The APA is a network of NGOs, relevant government bodies, and donor agencies, who through cooperative action, advance the ICPD-POA by mobilising resource for RH, environment and development issues.

Enhancing the Strategic Competency of POPCOM

ICOMP began enhancing the strategic competency of POPCOM in intergrating population and development in local planning. The two-year project employs an experiential learning-by-doing approach.